Having never quite made it with the Broken Family Band or Singing Adams, the Cambridge singer-guitarist has audibly poured frustration, hope, heart and soul into this outstanding solo debut. The tunes are instant and uplifting, but the real wallop comes from the lyrical imagery, which bear the emotional imprint of years of producing acclaimed music but struggling to make a living from it. He sets the bar high with the very first line – "Like an animal in a sack with your paws behind your back" – and never lets it drop. Man Down is a coruscating essay on the insecurity of the modern-day musician – "I sleep with my ears still ringing. It's a comforting sound. You don't miss the silence when it's drowned out." The Volunteer brilliantly turns repeated disappointment into a humbling/inspiring anthem to Adams' need to keep making music. The Vaccines' Justin Young guests on the rollicking, country rockabilly Tears of Happiness ("spilling down your beautiful face"), which may provide the leg-up needed to get these songs the attention they deserve.